Darlene Bernice Martha Niht

Darlene Bernice Martha Niht, age 85, of Randolph was lifted to Heaven by God’s Holy Angels on Friday, December 2, 2011 at the Beaver Dam Community Hospital.

Funeral Services for Darlene will be held at 1:00 p.m. on Tuesday, December 6, 2011 at Friedens Ev. Lutheran Church, 327 Jones Drive, Randolph with Pastor Daniel Schumann officiating. Burial will follow in the Randolph Cemetery.

Darlene's family will receive relatives and friends from 11:00 a.m. till the hour of service.

Darlene was born on January 1, 1926 in the township of Rubicon, daughter of Bernhard and Martha (nee Bohnenstengel) Griep. Her faith-filled life began with her baptism on January 10, 1926 by Pastor Lescow in Woodland, WI, and was nourished at St. John's Christian Day School in Juneau, WI. On March 17, 1940 Darlene was confirmed at St. John’s by Pastor M.J. Nommensen. She graduated from Christian Day School on June 6, 1940 and went on to become salutatorian of her Juneau High Class of 1944. A loving 40 year relationship started on October 25, 1947 when she was united in marriage to Earl Rowland Niht at St. John's Ev. Lutheran Church. Prior to marriage Darlene worked at the Abstract Office in Juneau and after settling in Randolph with her husband she applied her secretarial skills in a variety of settings including the Randolph School District. Darlene was a faithful legal secretary to several generations of attorneys in Randolph, Mr. Flannigan, Lester Affeldt and finishing her career with Blair Kendall and Scott Reif.

She enjoyed gardening, reading and walking. “Dolly” and Earl also enjoyed traveling to a number of WWII reunions and seeing many parts of her “America the Beautiful.” In addition to being a working mom, Darlene instilled a strong faith in her children and always prepared delicious meals accented by her homemade dinner rolls, Jell-O molds, desserts and a full cookie jar. Church commitments were many from choir, to LWMS reporter and Ladies Aid and many volunteer hours at Bethesda Pharmacy in Watertown. In recent years she served as a poll worker and attended Monday morning crochet class in Fox Lake. Despite never graduating from crochet class, she donated a number of baby blankets to the Alpha Pregnancy Counseling Center in Watertown.

Darlene is survived by a son Randall Niht, Beaver Dam; daughter Claudia (Anthony) Busse, West Bend; a sister Lovilla Pitzlen; brother-in-law Floyd Niht and sister-in-law Florence Niht; two nieces Jean Dittburner and Jennifer (Gary) Thiel; and a nephew Joel (Nancy) Pitzlen.

She was preceded in death by her husband and brother-in-law Lewis Pitzlen.

Memorials to the Lutheran Women’s’ Missionary Society or the Alpha Pregnancy Counseling Center are appreciated. The family extends a thank you to Randolph EMS, ICU staff (Jacki our angel), Pastor Schumann and Darlene’s wonderful neighbors, Ken and Chris, Steve, Brian, Henry and Richard. ”And, when from death I’m free I’ll sing on, I’ll sing of God’s love for me.”

Randolph Community Funeral Home is serving the family.